The Deigo
by Amme Moto
Summary: Carth gets attacked in the Shadowlands, to be saved by one of his own race. This woman who doesn’t speak Basic, doesn’t walk on her legs, and has an uncanny hate of new Jedi Salvi Jenkins can help them find the Star Maps. Will she want to leave Kashyyk?
1. The Deigo

**Yes, I'm starting another story. Shame on me. But I couldn't help myself; it begged to be typed. And this will only be until the end of Kashyyk. I'll probably make a sequel if this gets any good, being the rest of the game.**

**Summary: Carth gets attacked in the Shadowlands by animals, to be saved by one of his own race. This woman who doesn't speak Basic, doesn't walk on her legs, and has an uncanny hate of new Jedi Salvi Jenkins can help them find the Star Map. But will she want to leave Carth once it's all said and done?**

**Disclaimer: I own Salvi Jenkins (AKA male Revan) and Deigo, but nothing else.**

**Chapter One: Jolee and the Deigo**

"**Well, dear brother, it certainly is a surprise to see you here again. I thought you would have stuck to your mad-claw sentence." **Chuundar growled. Zaalbar spat.

"**Don't toy with me, brother! You've been enslaving Wookies for years! Where is Father?" **Zaalbar glanced around the room uncertainly.

"**We haven't seen him since he went to the Shadowlands. I bet the Deigo got him." **Chuundar chuckled. Zaalbar roared, rearing up and throwing his fists into the air.

"**You're lying! The Deigo wouldn't nab him! He—"**

"I'm sorry, I missed something." Salvi held a pointer finger into the air. "The Deigo? What is that?"

Chuundar stared at Salvi, a toothy grin unnerving the new Jedi. **"Not what: Who."**

"What're they saying?" Carth whispered.

"They're talking about Zaalbar's father being taken in the Shadowlands by something called a Deigo." Bastila translated, a smirk on her face.

"Taken as in brought down there or taken as in—" Carth was silenced by Zaalbar's roar.

"**He was not taken!" **The Wookie screamed.

"**Not that it matters," **Chuundar shrugged. **"I have a task for your Jedi friends."**

"I wouldn't do anything for you if you paid me!" Salvi called, stepping back.

"**Well, it _is _your choice, but note that my dear brother shall not be able to grace you with his presence until you fulfill this task." **Chuundar didn't wait for a response. **"In the Shadowlands is a crazed Wookie, also a mad-claw. I want you to kill him."**

Salvi stood in silence, thinking out the situation. Going into the Shadowlands wouldn't be anything bad for him, since he was a "natural fighter". Yet going through the Shadowlands without a Wookie would seem hazardous.

"I'll need Zaalbar for a guide." He negotiated, raising an eyebrow slyly.

"**The other Wookies will guide you. You cannot have Zaalbar back until the mad-claw is taken care of."**

Beaten.

"I—I'll be back, Zaalbar." Salvi turned around to leave, feeling the other two follow suit.

"**Wait—" **Zaalbar said. **"Please, don't tell Mission what's happened to me. She'd have an anxiety attack. And _please,_ don't harm the Deigo."**

-----

Salvi looked around the dark, dank forest floor, pursing his lips in disgust. This place wasn't very sanitary.

"Alright, where's that mad-claw?" He asked, looking around.

"Now would be a good time for you to hone in on your Force." Bastila suggested, smiling. Salvi nodded. They sat cross-legged on the floor. "Feel the forest around you, the living things surviving around your mind. Look for the Wookie…." Bastila's voice faded away as Salvi sought the Wookie through his mind.

Carth paced the ground impatiently. Now _wasn't _the time for a Force lesson. They could be attacked at any moment. Just in case, Carth kept a hand on his vibroblade. He didn't like surprises actually _taking _him by surprise. The last time that happened, he held onto his dying wife and….

Salvi stood, breaking Carth from his thoughts.

"He's on the other side!" The man whined. "This is going to take a while."

"Well, then we might as well get started," Carth said, venturing forward.

"Wait!" Bastila laid a hand on Carth's shoulder. "Hear that?" Carth listened intently.

Lightsaber noises.

Glancing at each other, Salvi and Bastila ignited their sabers and ran toward the sound. Carth barely caught up.

One man, four animals surrounding him. That doesn't seem like good odds. The man took his time swiping at each and every animal, ducking when needed to. Finally, they all crashed to the ground.

"Damn animals," The man grumbled, facing the trio. His dark skin sweat profusely as he placed his lightsabers back. "They make living in this cesspit even harder."

He was an old man.

"Who are you?" Carth asked, pointing a finger blatantly at the man.

"Name's Jolee, Jolee Bindo." The man held out his hand, allowing Salvi to take it. "We can talk more at my hut, it's not far off."

"Are you a Jedi?" Bastila asked, ignoring the man's last statement.

"We'll talk at my hut." Jolee reinstated. "There are intelligent ears about that could be listening." He turned and began to walk off in another direction. "She won't be happy about that mess."

"Are you talking about the Deigo?" Carth questioned, taking two steps in Jolee's direction.

The man stopped moving. He turned around to face Carth.

"That's a name you can only say at my hut." He said darkly. Then he turned once more and walked away as if he'd never stopped. "They attacked me first; she can't blame me for that one…." He murmured, as if in reassurance.

-----

"Well, welcome to my humble home, for what it's worth." Jolee led the trio inside his hut. The single room was constructed of all wood, and was lighted by a small flickering candle in the window. The room basically consisted of a bed, a fireplace, a desk and a window. The orange-ish color flicked on and off in a smooth rhythm to the breeze, making the room seem as if it had a see-through disco-ball on the ceiling.

Jolee shut the door and locked it. He then proceeded to the window, took the candle out of it, and placed a large wooden block in front of it. He placed the candle on the desk.

"Now," He said, sitting on his hard bed. "Pull up a stump and be comfortable. Dinner's almost ready. Anyone up for gizka legs and mushroom stew?"

"Uh—no thank you," Salvi sat down with Bastila and Carth, holding up a hand in a polite rejection. "We ate."

"Suit yourself." Jolee shrugged, pouring himself some stew and putting the gizka legs on a plate. He began to eat.

"Now," He said between bites. "What was it you were asking me?"

"We asked first if you were a Jedi." Bastila stated. Jolee groaned and lurched forward.

"_Was _a Jedi, _was_." He said. "I'm not officially anymore."

"So what are you doing down here in the Shadowlands?" Salvi asked.

"Don't you think you should introduce yourselves, first?" Jolee bounced, raising an eyebrow. "I was polite enough to offer mine."

"Pardon us," Salvi said. "I'm Salvi Jenkins, this is Bastila Shan, and this is Carth Onasi."

"Nice to meet you." Jolee nodded to the two.

Carth's curiosity got the best of him. He had to ask what was on his mind.

"Who is the Deigo?" He asked, softening his voice incase Jolee snapped at him again for speaking too loudly.

Jolee stopped eating. He set his plates aside and stared squarely at his lap.

"That, Carth," Jolee started, looking up at the soldier. "Is something I can't tell you for the sole fact that I don't know totally myself."

"But do you know what race it is? Have you ever seen it?" Salvi asked too, sitting up on his stump.

Jolee laughed.

"That's something you're going to have to figure out for yourself."

-----

Carth, Salvi, and Bastila had come back from the poacher's site and informed Jolee of their success.

"Yes, I don't smell the stench of death on you. You spared them? Very passionate, or very foolish." The old man pondered, rubbing his chin. "No matter. I owe you a force field. Let's head over now."

Salvi turned to Carth.

"Carth," He started. "We only need three people in our group. You head back to the _Hawk_, and we'll call you when we're finished. Alright?"

Carth sighed. It would be like Salvi to choose Bastila over Carth. Nodding, Carth turned around and made his way across the Shadowlands.

He was fifteen yards away from the lift to the Uplands when a swarm of animals attacked him.

A _swarm_. At least twelve of those huge monsters surrounded him. He pulled out his sword unsteadily, his grip faltering. Never had he needed to take on so many. Carth wiped nervous sweat from his brow before entering his fighting stance.

He ducked as the first animal lunged at him, claws bared. Then he whirled around and slashed at another's feet, cutting the ankles.

A cry arose from the animals, who became enraged. Their attacks were so organized, so precise, no usual animal could have arranged it.

Carth was getting beaten. They always seemed to attack when his back was turned, slapping him forward. He'd stab at a few of them, but their skin was so thick it hardly did anything.

Carth was about to give up when it happened.

A shrill cry arose from the trees, causing all twelve animals to look up. The branches shivered with weight as something moved with amazing speed toward the brawl.

The animals ran.

All twelve beings scattered across the Shadowlands, fearing the screech that erupted from the thing coming toward Carth.

Silence.

Carth looked around, trying to find something in the darkness. He could see nothing.

"Who's there?" He called, his knees knocking. A twig broke behind him. Whirling around, Carth eyed it.

He should have said "her".

It was a woman, standing on her balled fists and crouched feet. Her knees stood up to her chin, tucked neatly next to it protectively. The robes she wore were obviously not hers, since they were too big and looked as if they were to fit a man.

"Who are you?" Carth asked her, backing up. The woman lurched warily as he moved, like she was ready to sprint in her position if need be. She cocked her head sideways, letting her greasy, clumped-up brown hair fall into her face.

"Hmm?" She hummed. She moved her right fist forward, followed by her legs foot, then her left fist and right leg. She was walking toward him.

Carth now stood straight, staring at the woman. Something was definitely strange about her.

"Who are you?" He asked, replacing his vibroblade and holding his hands up in the air. He had no weapons in his hands.

The woman once again took a "step" toward Carth, stopping abruptly.

"Hmm?" She repeated. Carth sighed.

The soldier crouched down to her height, making her jump back slightly. He held his hands out to her.

"It's ok," He cooed. "I'm not going to hurt you." The woman stared at his hands. She moved forward, her eyes never leaving his hands. She got close enough for her comfort and sat on her haunches.

"Hmm." She nodded her head suddenly, as if assuring herself Carth was an okay man.

"What's your name?" Carth asked slowly, sounding out each word. He stared into the woman's blue eyes intently.

"Naim—watz—yoor—naim." The woman repeated awkwardly, frowning at her own inability to speak. Carth sighed.

"What—is—your—name?" He said slower, so she could repeat it. She stared at him.

"Wat—iz—your—name?" Her voice came out chopped up, like she wasn't used to speaking.

"What—" Carth spoke the word. "What."

"What." The woman repeated. She smiled at her accomplishment.

"Is." Carth said the final word she needed. "Is."

"Is." The woman nodded. "Is. What—is—your—name."

"Good!" Carth smiled. The woman once again tilted her head.

"Gud?" She questioned. Carth sighed.

This woman couldn't speak Basic. Even worse—she might not have been able to speak at all!

Carth did the only thing he could think of doing. He pointed at himself, pressing his finger into his chest.

"Carth." He said.

"Carth." The woman repeated.

"I am Carth." Carth pointed to himself. "Carth."

"Carth." The woman pointed at Carth's face.

"Good!" Carth repeated the word from before, exactly as he had. The woman smiled.

"Good!" She repeated.

"What—is—your—name?" Carth pointed at the woman. "You? Name?"

The woman seemed to understand enough. She stuck out her right thumb and jabbed it into her upper chest.

"Deigo. Ai am Deigo."

THE END!

**It took me a whole day to come up with this. Please review! If people like this I'll update quicker.**


	2. The Star Map

**Yay! I'm updating!**

**Chapter Two: The Star Map**

Carth stared at the woman, letting out a gasp.

"Deigo…." He repeated.

"Good!" The woman smiled. Carth chuckled uncertainly.

"Umm…." He started off. "Can you speak Basic?"

"Bay-sik?" Deigo asked, scratching her ear with a cupped hand. Carth groaned.

"Well, I guess I'd better find Salvi and tell him I found the Deigo." He told himself, standing. He stretched. The Deigo stared at him.

"Eh?" She seemed confused. She stared at Carth's legs, her eyes wide and her fingers griping the dirt.

"What? Oh, this is _standing_." He pointed to his legs, feeling a little more than ridiculous. "Standing—" Deigo nodded, attempting to stand on her two feet.

Deigo lifted herself up onto her two feet and attempted to keep her balance. She held her arms out to her sides, waving them desperately, trying not to fall over. She failed, tumbling down onto her bottom. She cried out.

Carth shook his head, helping her sit in her usual position.

"We'll work on that," He said. Deigo nodded as if she understood.

He sat back on the ground. "Sitting."

The Deigo nodded. She mimicked Carth's current position on her bottom.

"Sih-ting." She pronounced.

"Good enough."

"Good!" Deigo recognized that word. "Good!" Carth couldn't help but smile. She wasn't scary at all… he didn't know what the old man and the Wookies were so miffed about.

That was when _they _came back. Those animals that attacked Carth at first returned with more of their kind. They stood in front of Carth, roaring and challenging him. Carth stood, pulling out his sword again.

The Deigo screeched, standing in an attack position in front of Carth protectively. She and the animals roared back and forth, each becoming fiercer.

"She can understand them…." Carth thought aloud.

Apparently, the Deigo wasn't very intimidating. The animals jumped onto her, covering her in their bodies. Carth was knocked backwards. He couldn't see her.

"Deigo!" He called, standing once more.

The animals went flying. All of them, at the same time, launched into the air and hung onto large branches. The Deigo stood on her haunches as if nothing was hurt. She gave another threatening growl to the now-whimpering animals and returned to Carth. She took his hand in one of hers and began pulling him away.

"Ngrah," She pleaded, pulling still on Carth. He followed her.

"But the way up is that way." Carth pointed in the other direction. The Deigo ignored him. She probably couldn't understand him, anyway.

Carth followed the Deigo through the forest, climbing over logs and dead animals.

"Where exactly are we going?" He wondered out loud. The Deigo once again ignored him. She glanced around as she turned left into the deeper part of the forest. He followed wearily.

After a while, they came in to a clearing with a big black tack in the center of it. A huge platform stood next to it, with a hologram of an alien in the middle. The Deigo pointed at it.

"S-ss-steah ma-a-a-ma." She squinted as she tried to speak. She frowned.

"What are you trying to say?" Carth asked, crouching down beside her.

"S-s-s-tauh ma-a-ap." The Deigo tried once more to pronounce the words. Carth followed her finger to the tack.

"Are you trying to say Star Map?" Carth asked again. The Deigo's head perked up.

"Ss-tah M-a-a-a-puh." She strained. Carth chuckled.

"S-tar." He pronounced slowly. "Star."

"Star." Deigo repeated.

"Good!" Carth congratulated. The Deigo beamed.

"Good!" She echoed.

"M-ap." Carth pronounced slowly. "Map."

"Map. Star Map." The Deigo clapped. "Good!"

She was applauding herself. At least she knew that "Good" meant that she did well.

"So this is the Star Map?" Carth circled it. "We'd better find Salvi."

The Deigo sat on her haunches and sniffed the air, just about the time when a Wookie cry rang out. She cried out, bolting in the direction of the sound. Carth worked to keep up with her.

There was Salvi, battling a Wookie. The Deigo jumped into the fight, smacking the Jedi across the face and jumping backward. Salvi fell over, surprised by the other attacker. He whirled around his lightsaber and lunged at the new party member. Deigo jumped out of the way and knocked him down, landing behind the Wookie. The Wookie was having problems fending off the woman Jedi and the old one. Deigo leapt onto Salvi and knocked his head onto the ground. Jolee held his hand up in front of Salvi and sent the Deigo flying.

Slightly stunned with surprise, the Deigo came back. She held her hand up to Jolee and shouted. He rushed backward, slamming into a nearby log.

Carth stood outside the danger, staring in awe. Why was the Deigo attacking the others? What was the _Wookie _doing attacking the others? He knew the Wookies didn't like them, but they never attacked.

"That's enough!" The old man's voice scared the Deigo, who scrambled behind Carth, who stood behind the Wookie.

The battle was stopped.

"Are you okay, Jolee?" Salvi helped the man up.

"I'm too old to be slamming into logs all the time! Just be lucky it didn't kill me." The man answered. Salvi smiled.

The Deigo began talking in the most peculiar language, shouting the most impolite things at Salvi. Carth laid a hand on her shoulder and knelt down beside her.

"No," He squeezed her shoulder. "That's not good." She seemed to understand enough. She stopped all her name-calling, staring down at her filthy feet.

The three humans and the Wookie exchanged words. The Wookie was identified as Freyerr, the old chieftain of the Wookie clan.Carth never left his spot beside Deigo, as if afraid that she would pounce on Salvi again.

"Now," Jolee said finally, looking beside Carth to the woman. "I see you've found her."

"Who? Who _is _that Carth?" Bastila asked, pointing at Deigo.

"Deigo. Ai am Deigo." Deigo pointed her thumb to her chest. Bastila blanched. "What—is—your—name?"

"_The _Deigo?" Bastila repeated. She ignored the last, more complete sentence.

"Good!" Deigo smiled.

"I see someone's been teaching her Basic." Jolee eyed Carth, "harrumphing" and crossing his arms. "She wouldn't learn from me."

"You gave her the clothes, didn't you?" Carth asked, ignoring the first inquiry. "They're too big to be a female's clothing, and you're the only Jedi around here."

"Yes, I gave them to her some time ago. Couldn't stand to have a woman running around without totally naked." The old man began rambling. "Wouldn't do the eyes any good. The things are already beginning to fail on me; I don't want to get them any worse."

"What are we going to do with her?" Salvi asked.

"**She could help you find your Star Map and Bacca's blade." **The Wookie suggested.

"Star Map!" The Deigo caught the words clearly, translating them into Basic. She threw a finger in to the air. "Star Map! Star Map!"

"Does she know the Wookie language?" Salvi pointed at her.

"**Yes; when we found her we taught her our language. She can understand us but can't talk back. It is surprising that she is learning Basic so easily."**

The Deigo slowly crawled out from behind Carth, who restrained himself from holding her back. She glanced at everyone, keeping closer to Freyerr.

"So why did Chuundar say that you were taken by the Deigo?" Salvi asked, placing a hand on his chin. The Deigo backed up again, hissing.

"Chuunda! Chuunda! Grrr!" She glared at Salvi.

"**That's enough, Deigo."** The Wookie ordered. Deigo "meeped" and hung her head. **"Chuundar and Deigo never got along, she likes Zaalbar more."**

"Zaalbar!" Deigo cried, smiling. A look of puzzlement came over her. "Zaalbar…" She couldn't find a word to finish the sentence, so she pointed to the ground. She stared at Carth, as if asking him to finish the sentence.

"Here?" Carth guessed. "You mean here?"

"Heer." Deigo copied before frowning. "No. Here." She corrected herself. She nodded her head up and down. "Zaalbar here?"

"**My dear man, she just formed a sentence!" **Freyerr clapped his hands together. **"That quickly! I'm so proud of her!"**

Bastila translated to Carth.

"Good!" The Deigo smiled. Carth chuckled sheepishly.

"Just a word here and there." He shrugged.

"**It's more than we could get her to talk. She must really like you."**

"Yes, well," Salvi jumped in, seeing Carth's anxiety. "We should get to finding the sword of Bacca."

"**Deigo knows where it is. I'll ask her to show you."**

"Hmmm?" The Deigo cocked her head to her side at the mention of her name.

"**Can you show them where the ritual beast is?" **Freyerr asked the woman. She frowned, moaning. She said one word.

"Tarentatek."

Bastila froze, her eyes bulging. Carth crossed his arms. Salvi placed his head in his hands.

"A tarentatek? Isn't that what that Twi'lek was talking about back on Dantooine?" He asked. Bastila nodded. "Oh, good." The sarcasm dripped from his voice, but Deigo didn't know what sarcasm was.

"No." She shook her head. "No good." Salvi rolled his eyes.

"Let's head out." Jolee said. "Carth will have to come, too."

"Must he?" Salvi sounded a little peeved, making Carth bristle.

"Yes, he must!" Scolded Jolee. "Apparently, he's the only one the Deigo will listen to." Deigo perked her head at the sound of her name.

"Hmmm?" She asked, tilting her head.

"Tarentatek." Carth said. "We need to find it."

"Fai-n-duh?" Deigo pronounced.

"**Find. He means 'find', Deigo." **The Wookie translated.

"Good! Fai-n-duh Tarentatek. Here." The Deigo began walking in another direction.

-----

**I was gonna add more but it took me this long to come up with this much. I know what I'm going to do next; I just don't know how I'm going to go about it. So please review and will get to updating as fast as I can!**


	3. Chuundar and Deigo Fight

**Chapter Three: Chuundar and Deigo Fight**

"Here." The Deigo came into view once again. She dragged a dead kinrath behind her. Carth cringed at the foul smell.

"What is she doing?" He asked, coughing. Ignoring a language she couldn't understand, the Deigo continued to pull the large kinrath spider's body to the three Jedi.

"She's going to draw out the monster." Jolee informed. He waved a hand across his face. "Phew!"

"Tarentatek…. Here." The Deigo insisted, hanging up the kinrath body on specific vines in the area.

"So _now_ what?" Carth asked, thoroughly disgusted. The Deigo stopped, and a strange sound came out of her mouth.

"She's trying to say something." Salvi interpreted. He crouched down beside her. "What are you trying to say?"

The Deigo fell over herself trying to hide behind Bastila's legs. Salvi stood, raising an eyebrow. Bastila looked down at the Deigo, who didn't look happy.

"I don't think she likes you, Sal." Bastila giggled.

"Yeah, yeah," Salvi waved her off. "Why me?"

"Well, this lass has a good memory, now don't you?" Jolee guffawed loudly.

"A good memory?" Bastila asked, paling.

"Of course! Just because she's been living with the animals for some twenty years doesn't mean she's as stupid as they are. She can remember people." Jolee grinned. Bastila wasn't as happy to hear that as Jolee was.

"But that means she could—"

She couldn't finish her sentence. The smell of the dead kinrath had found it mark. The tarentatek came close.

The large green monster with spikes on his back and arms didn't seem to affect the Deigo as it did the others. She stared at it with contempt; just as a thing that needed to be brought down and nothing more. To the others, it was a different story.

Carth didn't know why the three Jedi looked at the monster with such despair. It didn't look that powerful. Yet the three Jedi were almost petrified. They stood rigidly, their hands clenched into fists. Salvi could feel his fingernails digging into the palm of his hands.

"You see what I've been talking about?" Jolee whispered. "There are dangerous things in these lands."

"You'd think the Twi'Lek on Dantooine would have warned us that they looked so… intimidating." Salvi winced.

"No one has seen a tarentatek for over forty years, you recall. I doubt that our historian friend in the Enclave has anything over twenty." Bastila pointed out. "There's no way he could have known."

_Known what?_ Carth wondered. He didn't like being left out of the loop, which—unsurprisingly to Carth—happened a lot. He wished they would clue him in on what they were talking about.

By now the tarentatek knew who had called it out into the open. It charged the group. The Deigo flew at it, circling the monster and barely avoiding a stab from its claws.

"She's distracting it. Now we can attack it from behind." Jolee surmised. He unsheathed his sabers and leapt into the battle.

"Carth, I think it might be best if you stay out of this." Bastila turned to the captain. Carth puffed up.

"I can fight just as well as any of you."

"Yes, but we're dealing with an animal made to counter people using the Force. For an animal like this, no mere person can win." Bastila explained. Carth chuckled.

"Oh yeah? Then what's the Deigo doing?" He pointed to the battle. Salvi and Jolee were making use of their lightsabers and were hacking away at the tarentatek. The Deigo sat on top of the monster, snapping off sharp spikes from its back. The tarentatek couldn't get to the person making the pain on its back, so it simply ran in circles. Carth laughed.

"It seems she has everything under control." He observed. And she did. In a few moments, the tarentatek had toppled over onto its side and Salvi cut off its head.

Green blood spattered everywhere as the head disjointed from the neck. The Deigo slid off of the back and next to the dead beast. She rested her hand on its side and began pulling at something.

Carth ran to her side. The Deigo backed off; pointing at the place she'd been trying to get to.

"Here." She stated. Carth inspected the area. He could see a golden glint. He grasped onto it and pulled.

It was stuck. Jammed. He was unable to get it out.

"Salvi, come help me." Carth called. As Salvi came over, the Deigo backed even farther away.

Salvi and Carth hung onto the hilt of the sword and pulled with all their might. The sword dislodged itself from the side of the creature. Carth and Salvi were caught unawares, so they went flying. The sword jumped from both of their hands and began sailing through the air.

The Deigo caught it. She shot into the air and grasped the hilt tightly, landing on her two feet and standing straight for a moment. Everyone stared, shocked, as she looked around and wondered why everyone had shrunk to her level. Then she realized she was standing on two feet. She screeched, falling over.

Carth couldn't help it. The dismayed look on the Deigo's face was priceless. She stared at everyone, squinting as if she knew something was different. Then she looked down and saw herself standing up. Her mouth dropped open and her eyes became much wider. It was adorable. Carth burst out laughing.

Carth had never noticed that the Deigo was actually very tall. She towered over Bastila and could almost stand as high up as Salvi, who was a good three inches taller than Carth.

"Come, now, there's enough of that." Bastila snapped. She'd found the whole thing utterly and completely naïve. "We have to get this sword to Freyyr as quickly as possible."

-----

_Why me? _Carth asked himself as he stood on the pathway. He and the Deigo had gone up on the Great Elevator first, and now they were waiting for the others to come up. Carth stood next to the Deigo, who was squinting from all the light. He looked down at her and grinned.

"I guess you've been living in the dark for a long time, huh?" He said. The Deigo cocked an eyebrow, tilting her head sideways.

"Huh? Dawka?"

Carth shrugged, kneeling down to the Deigo's level. He covered her eyes with his hands. "Dark." He said.

"Dawka."

"No."

"Da—Dark."

"Good."

"Good!"

Carth smiled. He pulled his hands away.

"Light."

"Light?"

"Yes." The Deigo nodded. She pointed to a torch hanging from a tree.

"Light?"

"Very good!" Carth stood, rubbing her head. The Deigo reached the flame and tried to touch it. She recoiled before she touched it, whimpering.

Carth stared, amazed. She was now trying to ask him how to say things. He pretended to touch the flame and said, "Hot."

"Hawt?"

"Close." Carth said. "Hot."

"Hot." The Deigo repeated. Carth then took out one of his swords and touched the flat side of the blade. The blade felt cool in his hands.

"Cold." He said as the Deigo touched the blade.

"Cold." She repeated. Carth nodded, and the Deigo smiled. "Good!"

Then the Deigo grabbed a hold of the whole sword and stared at it wonderingly. Carth worried that she might not be able to hold the whole sword.

"Vibrosword."

Carth was astounded. She'd just said _vibrosword_! There's no way she could possibly have known that word.

"How did you know that?" He asked. The Deigo shrugged.

"I think she's starting to understand you more, Carth." Carth jumped at the new voice. He hadn't even heard the elevator come up behind him, and now there stood Jolee. "Maybe she can pick some words out of your vocabulary now."

"Lee-lee! Good!" Deigo smiled. Jolee wrinkled his nose.

"Lee-lee?" He repeated. "It's not what _I _would call a nickname."

"We'll work on it later." Bastila insisted. "There's a Wookie heading this way."

And there was. A tall, gray-haired carpet was walking toward them. Salvi smiled.

"You're the one we helped with those spiders." He said. The Wookie nodded.

"**Freyyer came to us. He told of how you have saved him from the Shadowlands, and how now you're going to help him take back his leadership rights."** The Wookie stated. Salvi nodded.

"What happened to the rest of your hunting party?"

"**Some were loyal only to Chuundar. We had to fight. The rest of my party went ahead with Freyyer to gather more support."**

The Deigo started making worried sounds that no one could make out. The Wookie stared at her for a moment before crying out with joy.

"**The Deigo!" **He exclaimed. **"You've come back! I haven't seen you in forever!"**

"She came backwith us to help you." Bastila clarified. The Wookie nodded.

"**Of course, of course. Come, I will take you to Chuundar at once."**

The Deigo sneezed.

-----

"**Salvi!" **Zaalbar called as the team walked through the door. **"You're alive!"**

"Zaalbar!" The Deigo smiled. "Zaalbar here!"

Zaalbar seemed shocked that she was speaking Basic.

"**I'm here." **Zaalbar told her.

"**But so am I." **Chuundar's cold voice rang loudly. **"I see you've managed to do the one thing I'd hoped you wouldn't do."**

Salvi shrugged.

"What can I say?" He asked blithely. "I'm a troublemaker."

Freyyer stood beside Chuundar, and now he roared.

"**My son, too long have you oppressed your people. This ends now."**

"**Why? Because you have the hilt of Bacca?" **Chuundar challenged. **"Well I have the blade. Even **_**you **_**claimed it to be all-important. It seems we both have our trinkets of nobility; it is only a matter of who will follow whom."**

The Deigo stood next to Freyyer. She had a cold, hard stare set on her face, pointing directly at Chuundar.

"**Ah," **Chuundar said, acid coating his tongue. **"I see you've brought up the little flea from the Shadowlands. I wonder how you got her to leave."**

The Deigo growled, daring Chuundar to attack her.

"He didn't." Salvi said. "Carth did."

Carth stared in wonder. _What_ had he done? What a good time to keep his translator implant tucked safely into his _other _jacket. He couldn't understand _anything _of what the Wookies were saying.

"**Salvi…." **Zaalbar whispered. Salvi turned to regard him. **"Chuundar has been saying things…. They make sense. I don't know what I should do."**

"Why do they even have to fight?" Salvi asked. "Talk them through it!"

"**Are you sure?"** Zaalbar questioned. **"They seem pretty set on it…."**

"They're family." Salvi stated. "Would you let family destroy each other without trying to talk through it?"

Zaalbar seemed to be deep in thought. He turned from Salvi and the team to Chuundar and Freyyer, who were still arguing about how many people follow them. The Deigo stared back at him, her eyes sharp and pleading. With a vigorous howl, Zaalbar broke the attention of the bickering pair.

"**Enough! This ends now!" **He called. **"You're both acting like younglings, fighting over control. Can't we talk this out? Surely we can come up with a plausible answer."**

His outburst had shocked even the humans in the room. The two Wookies stared at him then at each other. The Deigo was beaming.

"**I guess…. I guess I have been a little youngling-ish." **Freyyer admitted. **"What say you, son? Is there hope yet?"**

Chuundar seemed uncertain for a moment. He gripped his blade, staring from Freyyer to Zaalbar, and finally to the Deigo.

"**What do **_**I **_**say?" **He repeated. Freyyer nodded. **"I say you're both madclaws! And I have Czerka on my side."**

"**Then so be it," **Freyyer seemed disappointed. Chuundar lunged for Freyyer.

The Deigo held up a hand, screaming. Chuundar flew into the air and started spinning in circles.

Salvi started. "Isn't that a Force power?" He asked. Before anyone could reply, Czerka and the other Wookies set themselves upon the group.

Carth fought his way to the Deigo, slashing through Wookies under Chuundar and Czerka corporation members alike. He found the Deigo on the ground, tumbling all over the place with Chuundar. Freyyer and Zaalbar attempted to make their way to separate the two, but couldn't get close enough. Every time they came close to the pair, they'd roll away or other enemies would come up.

Finally the Deigo pinned down Chuundar. She spat in his face and knocked his head into the ground. He pushed her off and grabbed for a vibroblade.

Carth got to her just as Chuundar's blade would have dealt a death blow to the Deigo. She closed her eyes and braced herself, but nothing happened. Carth had out his own vibroblade and had blocked the hit. The Deigo sprang up and leapt at Chuundar again. His vibroblade missed her by inches.

Every one of Chuundar's allies was now dead. The three Jedi and Carth had killed them all. Chuundar was the only one left.

Chuundar circled the Deigo, his sword twisting through his fingers. The Deigo stayed on all fours, watching the blade intently. Chuundar struck. The Deigo dodged. This went on for minutes.

"**Enough." **Zaalbar growled. **"You can't win against all of us."**

"**Oh?" **Chuundar cackled. **"And who said I wanted to win? What if I just want to make sure **_**this**_** one never sees the light of day again?"**

The Deigo shrugged, sitting down. She closed her eyes. Her muddy brown hair swung in her face as she concentrated.

"**What?" **Chuundar asked. **"Are you giving up already?" **He shrugged. **"Very well, then." **He held his sword high above the Deigo's head.

The ceiling cracked. A small piece of debris clipped Chuundar on the head. He held it out to himself, cocking an eyebrow.

"Uh-oh." Jolee said. "Move back." The old man pulled Salvi and Bastila away from Chuundar.

"Why?" Salvi asked. "What—"

The roof caved in. The rock on the ceiling collapsed over Chuundar and large boulders fell onto him. He was crushed.

The Deigo opened her eyes and smiled.

"Good!" She told herself.

Carth stared, shocked. Had _she _made the ceiling fall?

"**I never liked that roof," **Freyyer said, chuckling.

Bastila turned to Carth. "Carth," She addressed. "Go, take the Deigo to the _Ebon Hawk _and ask Mission to clean her up. Most of what's going to happen next is mainly going to be in Wookie, so you'll just get more lost if you hang around."

Carth shrugged, turning to the Deigo. She had dust sprinkled over her hair and face from the ceiling she'd just made to fall.

"Come on," He said, heading for the door. The Deigo followed.

-----

"You want me to _what_?"

"I need you to clean up this woman for me," Carth repeated. Mission raised an eyebrow.

"Why can't she do it herself?" Mission asked. She crossed her arms.

Carth sighed. "Watch this." He knelt down to the Deigo and said, "Dark."

The Deigo put her hands over her eyes and smiled.

"Dark!"

Mission giggled. "I see…." She rubbed her head, kneeling down to the Deigo. "My name is Mission Vao."

"Mai naim is Misheeon Vayoh?" The Deigo squinted, tilted her head, and raised an eyebrow. Mission hugged the Deigo.

"She's adorable! Can I keep her?" Mission asked.

"If you clean her up." Carth answered.

Mission nodded. "My name is _Mi-ssi-on V-a-o._" She pronounced her name for the Deigo.

"Misheeon-vayoh?" The Deigo repeated.

"She doesn't understand last names, Mission." Carth said. "She's trying to put it all into one."

"Oh!" Mission smacked herself on the head. "Mission."

"Misheeon."

"Close enough." She began to walk to board the _Ebon Hawk_. "This is called a ship."

"Ship."

"Good!" Mission said. "Who are you?"

"Deigo. I am Deigo."

"Well, Deigo, let's get you all clean, huh?" Mission dragged the woman on board and closed the ramp.

-----

"We're back!" Savli called. He showed up at the foot of the _Hawk _with Bastila, Zaalbar, and Jolee in tow.

"Well, Mission won't let anyone on board," Canderous snarled. "She even kicked me and T3 off." T3-M4 beeped in annoyance.

"Why?" Bastila asked.

"She and Juhani are giving the Deigo a bath and they don't want anyone to disturb them." Carth said. "They've been in there for over an hour. How much grime can one woman get on herself?"

"Twenty years worth." Jolee said.

"Twenty _years_?" Canderous repeated. "She's been here as long as _you_ have?"

"When I first came to live here, I'd heard rumors from the Wookies about there being a strange animal among the others. For the first few months, I thought they meant me. But after a while I started to see a little girl with the animals. The Wookies started calling her the Deigo." Jolee said. "She's been here a long time."

"And you didn't do anything about it?" Bastila asked. "You just let her run free with the wild animals?"

"I'm old, okay?" Jolee snarled. "And she's quick. I tried to catch her for a long time, but she wouldn't come anywhere near me for the first few years, and after that she was too feral to do anything with but put some clothes on her."

"Fair enough." Salvi shrugged. "But _now _what do we do?"

"We wait for Mission to let us back inside." Canderous growled, crossing his arms and leaning against the ship. "But if she takes longer than ten minutes I'll break the door down myself."

"No you won't!" Salvi argued. "Do you know how much a customized door _costs_?"

"Why don't you tell me, smuggler?" Canderous chided. Salvi puffed up.

"We prefer to be called _Legally Challenged_, thank you." He corrected.

The door to the _Ebon Hawk _burst open.

"Okay!" Mission's voice rang around the hangar. "You can come back inside now. We're done!" Then she added, "Carth, you won't believe this!"

Carth was the first one up the ramp. He stopped in the main hold and stared.

Where was the Deigo?

There stood Mission, curling one of her lekku around her finger and grinning, and then there was Juhani, grinning from ear to ear. In between them stood a woman Carth didn't recognize. It took him a while to realize that _this _was the Deigo.

It seemed that the two women had taught the Deigo how to stand, because she was doing so without any support. Her face was clear and grime-free and her hair—now _blonde_—ran down to her waist.

"And you thought she was a brunette." Mission giggled. "She'd had so much dirt on her you couldn't tell it was blonde!"

Carth was speechless. Mission and Juhani had even found some new clothes for the Deigo to wear; ones that fit her better than Jolee's clothing. She wore a suit identical to Mission's, with a holster on her waist and everything.

"She's big enough to wear my clothes!" Mission thought this was hilarious. "Does she look all right?"

"She looks like she's been human for her entire life," Bastila commented, obviously as impressed as Carth was.

"She looks nice." Canderous insisted.

"Can she walk?" Jolee asked. Mission turned to the Deigo.

"Well?" She asked, smiling. "Lee-lee asked if you can walk. Can you?"

Jolee frowned at the nickname. Obviously the Deigo had been telling stories about Jolee to the two women.

"Yes," The Deigo said haltingly. "I can walk."

"You taught her to _speak_?" Salvi asked.

"Not totally," Juhani admitted. "A few sentences here and there. We've spent most of our time teaching her things she needs to know about herself."

"Well, you both did a great job." Bastila nodded. "I think it's time we head out now. Carth, set the coordinates to Dantooine."

"What?" Carth asked. "Why Dantooine?"

"What?" The Deigo couldn't keep up with all the talk.

"**Deigo," **Zaalbar started. **"They want to take you to Dantooine. There you can learn to be a human and learn to speak Basic."**

"Dantooine?" The Deigo repeated. "No Kashyyyk?"

"**No, we have to leave Kashyyyk. We'll be back someday, though." **Zaalbar answered. The Deigo paled. **"But I'm coming with you, so don't you worry."**

Hesitantly, the Deigo agreed.

"Excellent," Bastila stated. "We're off to Dantooine."

-----

**This is the only one I remember emailing to myself so I could work on it in school. And then they went and blocked from school! So I might have to email it back to myself and then get it onto the web, but yeah. The next chapter they're already on Dantooine and they're going to show the Deigo to the Jedi Council. Please review!**

**Amme Moto**


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